Swampscott School Library Programs

Presented by:Melissa DeFilippi LICSW, Hadley Parent

Judi Paradis, M.Ed., President, Massachusetts School Library AssociationSharon Hamer, Library Teacher, Belmonte Middle School Learning Commons

"What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it thinks about education."

- Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education

TopicsI. Current State: Parent

Concerns

II. Ideal State: Components of a Strong School Library Program

III. Bridge to the Future: Steps to Building a Strong School Library Program

IV. Success Story: Belmonte Middle School Learning Commons, Saugus

I. Parent Concerns with Current State:Staffing, Curriculum and Technology

Staffing1. The elementary schools have not had

librarians since 2008 - the parent volunteer model is not optimal

2. With the loss of the middle and high school librarians, no library in the district has formal library staff

3. High ranking schools have library staffing

Municipality (1) Rank (1)Enroll-ment (1)

Avg. Class Size (1)

Student: Teacher (1)

HS Library staff (3)

MS Library staff (3)

Elementary Library staff (3)

Dover 1 523 18.3 12.3 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Sherborn 2 405 17.3 11.7 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Lexington 3 6506 19.3 12.1 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Boxborough 5 437 19.7 13.2 NA NA Yes (F,L)Concord 6 2140 17.1 12.8 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Lincoln 7 1241 16.2 9.8 NA Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Wayland 9 2717 18 14.2 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (L)Wellesley 10 4954 17.4 13.9 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (L)Weston 11 2374 22.6 11.9 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Harvard 12 1210 19 15.8 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Winchester 13 4396 19.8 14.8 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) YesSharon 14 3433 18.1 13.1 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Westborough 17 3515 16.4 13.3 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F)Holliston 18 2820 16.6 13.3 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Newton 20 12335 19.3 15.4 Yes (F,L)Westwood 21 3167 18.6 15 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Belmont 23 4065 21.3 17.1 Yes (F,L) Yes(F,L) Yes Cohasset 25 1584 20.6 13.6 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Hopkinton 28 3414 19.9 14.1 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (L)Bolton 29 767 19 15.5 NA Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Southborough 30 1422 18.7 13.3 Yes (F,L) Yes (L) Yes (L)Needham 32 5476 19.3 15.4 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Hingham 38 4202 19.9 15.3 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Northborough 39 1893 18.1 13.8 Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L) Yes (F,L)Littleton 41 1576 20 14.2 Yes (F,L) Yes (L) Yes

Staffing1. The elementary schools have not had librarians

since 2008 - the parent volunteer model is not optimal

2. With the loss of the middle and high school librarians, no library in the district has formal library staff

3. High ranking schools have library staffing

4. NEASC standards require a full-time librarian at the high school level

Staffing: NEASC Standards6. “Library/media services are integrated into curriculum and

instructional practices and have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who:

are actively engaged in the implementation of the school's curriculum

provide a wide range of materials, technologies, and other information services in support of the school's curriculum

ensure that the facility is available and staffed for students and teachers before, during, and after school

are responsive to students' interests and needs in order to support independent learning

conduct ongoing assessment using relevant data, including feedback from the school

community, to improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.” - From New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Committee on Public Secondary Schools,

Accreditation Standards: Support Standard #6 School Resources for Learning, #6, page 8.

Staffing1. The elementary schools have not had

librarians since 2008 - the parent volunteer model is not optimal

2. With the loss of the middle and high school librarians, no library in the district has formal library staff

3. High ranking schools have library staffing

4. NEASC standards require a full-time librarian at the high school level

5. School committee policies call for librarians

Staffing: School Committee Policy Manual

“The primary objective of the library/media center is to implement its resources to enrich and support the educational program of the school.”

“The Librarian will recommend materials to be included in the school library.”

“The continuous review of integrated learning center (library) materials is necessary as a means of maintaining a useful and active collection. As new materials are selected and added, some older materials are withdrawn. The responsibility of determining which materials are to be withdrawn rests with the professional staff.”

– School Committee Policy Manual, Section I. Instruction, Library Resources and Library Materials Selection and Adoption

Staffing1. The elementary schools have not had librarians since

2008 - the parent volunteer model is not optimal

2. With the loss of the middle and high school librarians, no library in the district has formal library staff

3. High ranking schools have library staffing

4. NEASC standards require a full-time librarian at the high school level

5. School committee policies call for librarians

6. Without staffing, who is teaching 21st century research skills

CurriculumInformation Literacy

CCSS: Research and media skills blended into the Standards as a whole

“To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order to answer questions or solve problems, and to analyze and create a high volume and extensive range of print and nonprint texts in media forms old and new. The need to conduct research and to produce and consume media is embedded into every aspect of today’s curriculum. In like fashion, research and media skills and understandings are embedded throughout the Standards rather than treated in a separate section.”

-Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, Introduction, pg 4.

PARCC aligned with CCSS to measure the higher-order skills outlined in the new standards

Technology

Swampscott21st Century Media Center

Clarke and Hadley do not have paper or electronic cataloging systems

Stanley has a stand alone electronic system, that often doesn’t work and needs updating

The middle school and high school systems are also out of date

Library is not integrated with technology

Students learn research and presentation skills using an array of multi-media resources

E-Catalog: Access the system from a computer

anywhere – even an ipad Allows searches on reading level and

interest level Has the ability to identify resources

according to the curriculum Provides access to print and non-print

media, such as online publications and e-books

Municipality (1) Rank (1) E-Catalog (2)Dover 1 Destiny (A)Sherborn 2 Destiny (A)Lexington 3 Destiny (A)Boxborough 5 Destiny (A)Concord 6 Destiny (A)Lincoln 7 Destiny (A)Westford 8 Destiny (A)Wayland 9 Destiny (A)Wellesley 10 OPALS (A)Weston 11 Destiny (A)Harvard 12 Destiny (A)Winchester 13 Destiny (A)Manchester 15 Destiny (A)Sudbury 16 Destiny (A)West-borough 17 Destiny (A)Holliston 18 E-catalog, type not specified(A)Brookline 19 Destiny (A)Newton 20 Destiny (A)Westwood 21 BookSystems (A)Boxford 22 Alexandria/Book systems (A)Belmont 23 Destiny (A)Acton 24 Destiny (A)Cohasset 25 Destiny (A)Essex 26 Destiny (A)Middleton 27 Alexandria/Book systems (A)Hopkinton 28 OPALS/Follett Shelf (A)Bolton 29 Destiny (A)South-borough 30 Destiny (A)

Topsfield 31 Alexandria/Book systemsWenham 34 Destiny (A)Hamilton 35 Destiny (A)Bedford 36 Destiny (A)Medfield 37 Destiny (A)Hingham 38 Destiny (A)Northborough 39 Destiny (A)Marblehead 40 Alexandria (A)Littleton 41 Destiny (A)Medway 42 Destiny (A)Norwell 43 Destiny (A)Duxbury 44 Destiny (A)Arlington 45 Destiny (A)Scituate 46 Book Systems (HS)Stow 47 Destiny (A)Lynnfield 48 Destiny (A)Berlin 49 Destiny (A)Reading 50 Destiny (A)Lancaster 51 Destiny (A)West Newbury 52 Destiny (A)Norfolk 53 SAILS (A)Natick 54 Destiny (A)Braintree 55 Destiny (A)Boylston 56 Destiny (HS)Chelmsford 57 Destiny (A)North Reading 60 Destiny (A)Walpole 61 Destiny (A)Canton 63 Destiny (A)Foxborough 64 Destiny (A)

Staffing, Curriculum, AND Technology “There is an assumption that today's students know how to effectively and ethically use the technology that is becoming pervasive in our society. But, the reality is that all too often today's students lack the ability to analyze information found online. They also tend to believe the first thing they find - whether it is good information or not. School librarians empower students to question the validity and accuracy of all information they find. They also help students to know how to ethically use what they find in their work, giving students the 21st century skills needed to succeed in the workplace.”

- Harvey, Carl. 2011. “What You Can Do To Support School Libraries In Crisis.” Huffington Post, December 8. (Former President of AASL)

II. Components of a Strong School

Library Program

The Role of the School Librarian • Teacher:

Collaborates and co-teachesInformation literacy skills & projectsProvides professional developmentPromotes a love of reading and literature

• Leader:Ensures SLP supports the school programCommittee work

• LibrarianDevelops collection to support curriculum and studentsPromotes the use of appropriate technology for learningEthical use of information

Types of StaffingLibrary Aide Librarian

Checks books in and out

Shelves booksReads storiesRepairs booksTakes inventory

Evaluates collection against the curriculum and purchases print and non-print (audio, video, digital, online) resources to support the curriculum and ensures these are well used by teachers and students;

Manages collection to ensure it remains current and meets the needs of all learners

Teaches research skills, information literacy and digital citizenship

Deep understanding of literature to engage students and build life-long readers

Certified teacher who can co-teach with classroom, subject-area teachers

Evaluates new technology (including online sources) for use in literacy, research, communicating and creating; and can provide professional development to aide teachers in using these resources

Does it Matter? • “The most important thing a strong library program can

have is a full-time certified librarian with support staff.” -PA School Library Project, et. al. 2012. Creating 21st-Centry Learners: A Report on Pennsylvania’s Public School Libraries. http://www.elcpa.org/Creating21stCenturyLearners_LibraryDataReport.10.17.12.pdf (accessed March 18, 2013).

• “School librarians have deep expertise in digital literacy skills; have well-developed instructional strategies based on thinking critically, communicating creatively in a variety of media, and solving problems creatively; and are often role models for strong leadership, initiative, and other career and life skills.” - Trilling, Bernie. 2010. “From Libraries to Learning Libratories: The New ABC's of 21st-Century School Libraries.” School Library Monthly 29 (1): 43. <http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/articles/Trilling2010-v27n1p43.html>

Common Core and PARCCCommon Core Skills are LIBRARY skills

Reading informational textsReading more complex textsUsing multiple texts to provide evidence Using technology as a way to gather and share

information, create new products to show learning

Research skills—developing questions, identifying and using nonfiction texts and databases, taking notes, using multiple sources to create a product that shows new learning

Components of a School LibraryProfessional staffCollection of current print and non-print (audio,

video, digital, online) resources that support the curriculum and the students

Access to appropriate technology and access to online resources as determined by school librarian working with faculty

Space for classes to come in and work with librarian on research projects; ideally space should support simultaneous use by more than one class/group of students

Data!

III. Steps to Building a Strong School

Library Program

Building a Library Program

Professional staff is an important first step– A professional managing a team of

paraprofessionals is a common first step, but not considered the goal

– The goal should be a professional librarian in each school library

Move to an online catalog and electronic circulation system

Evaluate the collection and create a long-term plan for updating and adding appropriate materials

ResourcesMSLA assistance—Northeast Area Directors

Programs to emulate—can be provided through MSLA

Pending legislation—Senate bill S1475 asks for a commission to evaluate the status of school library programs in Massachusetts public schools and make recommendations based on its findings

IV. Success Story: Belmonte Learning Commons

Belmonte went from being classified as an elementary school to a secondary school.

MCAS scores went up.We went from a level 3 to a level 2 school.

Professional librarians know how to create critical thinkers, skillful researchers, savvy internet users and create lessons that have real world applications that are meaningful to the students and their community. They know how to connect kids with books and their collection development informs that connection.

The professional is a teacher first--trained in pedagogy, child development, brain development and uses that information to select the right sources, books and digital materials. The LMS teaches transliteracy--literacy across the media such as visual, auditory, digital, media and information literacy. Lessons in savvy internet use are imbedded in all the online teaching we do.

Thank You!Swampscott School CommitteeMassachusetts School Library Association

(MSLA) Ms. Angelakis and Dr. MurphySchool principals and Mr. Kaczynski Library volunteersPTA/Os and parents

Questions?